Mancow Addresses Accusation That His Waterboarding Was A Hoax (VIDEO)

Erich 'Mancow' Muller appeared on "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" Friday to address rumors that the waterboarding he underwent a few weeks ago to see whether the technique was constituted torture was in fact a hoax. Olbermann mentioned a report on Gawker which reported that Mancow's waterboarding was 'completely fake' and simply a publicity stunt. As evidence they mentioned an email from Mancow's publicist that said "It will be a hoax but have to look real."

While Mancow admitted to Olbermann that it was fair to call the incident a "stupid radio stunt," he noted that "waterboarding, all it is is water in your nose and mouth with your head back. I'm not David Copperfield. We had 50 news cameras there." He suggested that while the event was meant as a stunt, as his publicist suggested, the events that took place were completely real.

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Comments

[4 Real]

If we consider it NOT torture, then US POWs in future conflicts can expect to be waterboarded and the US can do nothing about it.
More is going to come out since Petreaus admitted on Fox TV, of all channels, that we violated the Geneva by Conventions and the pics being withheld may have some truly damaging stuff in them. Couple that with the Cheney family hitting the talk show circuit to defend themselves and you get the makings of the perfect storm.

[BeltwayInsider]

If we consider it NOT torture, then we will also need to pay restitution to the families of the Japanese people who we executed for waterboarding U.S. Soldiers, on the premise that waterboarding IS torture.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-begala/yes-inational-reviewi-we_b_191153.html

[LeftRight]

And to the Japanese soldiers (or their families) who we simply imprisoned for decades. And to the descendants of the American troops who we punished for this very action in the Spanish American war in 1898....

[andyg]

The Japanese used water torture a different thing all toghether.

[phoenix12]

Well, if the Right Wing nuts think it was a hoax, all the Right Wingers really have to do is man up and do a REAL waterboarding themselves. Is Hannity going to step up and do it? Is Limbaugh going to do it? Is Gingrich going to do it? Is ANY Right Winger doing to do it for real? Obviously not because they know they are going to come to the same conclusion as Mancow did!

[AngusC]

I think it is absolutely hilarious how many of the people that support water boarding will not volunteer to get it done to them.
If Hannity will donate $10,000 to charity, I will take his place and get it done to me as he is obviously too afraid to do it himself.

[tgd]

Of course Mancow's waterboarding was a hoax. It contradicts all the talking points the Republicans have been repeating over and over that waterboarding is NOT torture, so it has to be a hoax, because, you know, those Republicans are experts on everything.

[krawhitham]

If it was a hoax he would have lasted minutes and after said it was NOT torture

[FormerReaganite]

That is logical.

[AngusC]

Obamanomics, you talk a lot of smack.
Why don't you set up a demo of yourself getting it done to you and post it Youtube?
Obviously you don't think it is real so you should have no problem doing it.
In addition, here is some logic for you, although I don't know if you can handle it.
If it was not tor ture as you suggest and not effective, then why would they use it?

[TruthJusticeForAll]

Is your point totally backward because you are attempting sarcasm or are you truly this stupid? Even if you are being sarcastic, it is a miserable failure as an attempt at sarcasm.

[LeftRight]

Angus' point makes perfect sense to anyone with a brainstem!

[AngusC]

I was addressing Obamanomics, not his court jester.
I made very clear and concise statements.
It is not my fault that you cannot comprehend them.

[4 Real]

He makes sense to me....not sure why you are having such a problem with it.

[johnr49]

He's making a completely valid point - obviously you can't handle it either!

[Budokan]

How about we try it on you instead since you so obviously believe it's NOT torture. Put YOUR money where your rat mouth is and let's fill it and your nose up with water. You wouldn't last 30 seconds.

[NCIndependant]

The ingorance and stupidity on display once again in this thread by our right wing trolls is truly saddening. Go back under your bridges...

[ctman47]

Here's an idea to raise money for military families. Seems like there are a lot of voluteers on this site.
Lets set up live waterboardings performed by trained waterboarders all over the country. All these
willing volunteers on this site can get pledges for each second they last and the money will go to the appropriate charity. There are people on here who say they can make a lot of money for those
deserving families.

[rumblingspire]

BUUUURP

[UnknownSoldier]

You don't have to be trained to conduct waterboarding,it's really simple you have to trained to extract pertinent information.

When the CO2 in your lungs is tilted at the first sign of water your natural instinct (Which can not be overcome with any amount of Mental preparedness) is to breathe easily and normally. By being held in a prone position unable to move, this can not happen, as a result the heart rate increases along with blood pressure, and if you suffer from any heart or breathing related illness Waterboarding can be fatal.

[theMightyT]

I don't agree with most of what the right wing talking heads have to say, but i give Mancow HUGE credit for actually doing first-hand research.

This puts him head and shoulders above the rest of the l.un.a.tics on the right.

[Lucky123]

I'm a little amazed at the career rise of these "conservative" radio hosts. I remember Mancow from when I lived in Chicago, and at the time, he was the least funniest or interesting of the "shock jocks" in town at the time ~ Steve Dahl, Jonathon Brandmier, Gary Meyers, etc. But it seems that being a "conservative", (even though he claims to be a "libertarian who cares about the truth"), has catapulted his success to a level he might not have reached if he were still merely the Morning Zoo guy. Odd.

And for the record, Steve Dahl should be a household name.

[constabull]

Dahl is horrible. CBS is paying him to stay off the air because they can make more money spinning records.

[AngusC]

Considering he is right wing and was in support of this before it happened it does not seem likely he would do it and then go against it. If anything he would have done it and then said it was fine and no big deal.
Regardless, I still want to see Hannity do it.
Obviously he is not a man of his word.

[Cullen Stalin]

So wait... dude supports waterboarding. Dude undergoes treatment that is far less than actual waterboarding and says *that* is torture. What exactly is the lesson here? Is someone really claiming that a harsher treatment would somehow... NOT be torture? Do not comprehend!

[LeftRight]

He's saying that he thought it wasn't torture, then underwent something that barely qualifies as waterboarding, admits THAT was torture, so OBVIOUSLY the real thing MUST be torture.

Others may be claiming what you stated, but not Mancow.

[Iraqnophobia]

Id like the lefts definition of how much water poured on your face is torture? since obviously 6 seconds worth is torture to them. How about 5 seconds? 4? 3? 2? a teaspoon full? how much? its confirmed that 6 seconds is torture, mancow said so, so exactly when is it torture? how about just saying your going to pour water? is that torture? It must be somewhere in between there right? between telling them your going to pour and actually pouring water for 6 seconds... We must know lefties, Im sure you have all tilted your head back in the shower for 6 seconds, so you are experts, ill admit that.(and I applaud you for your courage to do that by the way)

[Cullen Stalin]

I get that, which is why this is such a bizarre thing to call a 'hoax.' Like, if he said "Whoo hee, nothing to it!" - it would make sense to challenge it. But in this case, it's such a circuitous accusation! I think Olbermann did a good job demonstrating the illogic of it.

[Jabo22]

This HOAX is outrageous. To think that someone would fake being tortured to prove that water boarding is NOT torture, uh, IS torture, I mean is an interrogation technique, uh, is not an interrogation technique, well, anyway, this HOAX is outrageous and we aren't going to take it anymore.

Therefore, to prove my point above....... I'm calling for a mass demonstration all across America
to get out with your tea bags and join in on the 1st annual TEA BOARDING demonstration, to prove that this technique is NOT torture.

Bring your tea, bring your boards, and bring your towel for some sun, tea, and some back straightening fun and good ole American protest.

Then we'll show em ourselves that it's not torture.

[Libertyfan]

It was an obvious hoax. He only lasted 6 seconds. The first minute should be easy, just hold your breath. Then it gets real hard.

[theMightyT]

why don't you show us how it's done?

[NCIndependant]

Epic fail. Holding your breath does nothing.

[djgonebad]

GRAVITY!!!! Have you lost that fact; water and gravity can MOVE MOUNTAINS, so why can't it make a person feel like they are going to DROWN?

It's NOT about holding your breath.

[LeftRight]

Yeah, he mentioned that. Course, he was wrong, and admitted that he was wrong. Why don't YOU try it, and then you can understand.

[TruthJusticeForAll]

First, I am not at all you are correct. Secondly, if you watch the video & Mancow intended to hold his breath, he would have done so just before the count hit 5. The marine started pouring after 2 & said "I lied!!" Third, Mancow;'s point was to SUPPORT is argument that it is not torture. Finally, EVERYONE who has actually undergone this technique has stated it is torture. Jessee Ventura said it was torture & he underwent it as part of his SEAL training. Think the military subjected him to it as a "break" from all the impossible stuff they make SEALs do to become SEALs?

Possibly he lasted only 6 seconds because it is torture & he was not restrained. How long are you willing to sit, unrestrained while you are being subjected to torture & can stop it by any act?

[snapshot1940]

Mancow, I don't know you and probably wouldn't agree with most of what you say on your show but I commend you for putting your mouth and nose where your mouth was and admitting the truth. I admire your candor in the video and I hope you also see that there are those who go to any lengths to shut up anyone who does not agree with them. (And we all know who they are!)

[BeltwayBette]

Thanks for a sane post. Frankly, I would be inclined to challenge anyone who can't accept the fact that Mancow was honest to be waterboarded by the same Marine for the same charity. I nominate Sean Hannity or Rush Limburger. And oh, by the way, forget the Marine, This former Navy medic would be delighted to be the GI who applies the water.


These "nah,the Marine held his nose" nutcases are akin to several of my neighbors who also prefer dogma to truth. As we say in Texas, mean as two headed rattlers and dumb as a box of rocks. Hurrah for Mancow; the conservative mensch.

[JoeAmerican]

"Telling the truth..." As well all know, the truth has a well-known liberal bias. ;-) (courtesty of Colbert)